Identification of Sources of Fecal Pollution Impacting Pillar Point Harbor

Project Description
PROJECT SUMMARY

“Identification of Sources of Fecal Pollution Impacting Pillar Point Harbor” is a project of the
San Mateo County Resource Conservation District (RCD), funded by the State Water
Resources Control Board. The goal of this project is to assess and identify sources of fecal
pollution in Pillar Point Harbor and recommend opportunities for remediation.

Water will be sampled in select locations and tested for the presence and abundance of
bacteria that occur with fecal pollution, and bacteria samples will be genetically tested to
determine their original host source. The primary focus is Capistrano Beach, which has well
documented levels of fecal pollution. The secondary focus is the five other beaches and
liveaboard boats in the harbor.

Specific objectives for implementation of water quality remediation projects will be

developed based on research and analysis. The project will identify constraints, impediments,
opportunities, and priorities to remediate water quality on the beaches in Pillar Point Harbor
and cost-effective, feasible water quality improvement projects. It develops a timeline for
implementing the proposed methods to achieve water quality objectives and the parties
responsible, as well as a monitoring plan and performance measures to track implementation
of projects.

These investigations and the resulting prioritized recommendations are essential for a second
phase to implement projects to improve water quality at public beaches in the Pillar Point
Harbor. Stakeholders are committed to a second phase in which they pursue implementation
of these recommendations and recognize this first phase as an essential step toward that end.
Stakeholders value that the overall vision of this project is to reduce the number of days that
the beaches are posted or closed, requiring implementation of proposed projects.

LOCATION

The project study area is the Pillar Point Outer Harbor in El Granada, California (see
Attachment A: Map of Project Location). The geographical focus extends to any potential
drainages and/or pollution sources which empty into or otherwise impact the harbor and its
beaches, such as creeks, marshes, storm drains, sewer systems, runoff, leach fields, springs,
wells, boat discharge, pet and avian fecal contamination, sediment, and wrack.

SITE DESCRIPTION

Pillar Point Harbor is an enclosed watershed with complex inputs and water flows. It contains
an inner boat harbor, pier, and saltwater/brackish tidal marsh (Pillar Point Marsh). It receives
drainage from Denniston and Deer Creeks, storm drains, outflow pipes, and large, mixed use
areas including an airport, agricultural, commercial and residential sections. Pillar Point

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Harbor contains five beaches: Capistrano Beach, Yacht Club Beach, Marsh Beach, Mavericks
Beach, Inner Harbor Beach, and Beach House Beach.

Pillar Point Harbor comprises an inner harbor and outer harbor. The inner harbor berths 180
commercial fishing vessels and approximately 200 recreational boats, and is encompassed
within the much larger outer harbor area. The harbor area houses commercial ventures
including several restaurants, hotels, shops, a fertilizer plant, three commercial fish buyers,
sport fishing concessions, a yacht club, two kayak rental companies, a recreational vehicle
park, and an Air Force facility situated on the bluff overlooking the Outer Harbor. Outside of
the Outer Harbor area but within the project study area are conference facilities, residential
areas, and additional commercial ventures as well as a pump station for the Sewer Authority
Mid-coastside

The project area is also within the boundaries of the James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Critical Coastal Area (CCA) Pilot Project. The marine reserve is a designated Area of Special
Biological Significance and the CCA pilot project, jointly administered by the State Water
Resources Control Board and the California Coastal Commission, is to foster collaboration
among local stakeholders and government agencies to better coordinate resources and focus
efforts on coastal watersheds in critical need of protection from polluted runoff. The CCA
will develop an action plan to reduce non-point source pollution by 2010 and intends to
coordinate closely with this project to identify and remediate sources of fecal contamination
in Pillar Point Harbor.

NEED FOR PROJECT

The public health impact of the impaired waters may impact commercial ventures, harbor
activities, tourism, recreation, ecological habitat, and sources of drinking water for municipal
utilities in the watershed. The harbor area has approximately 100,000 visitors annually and is
heavily used recreationally by boating enthusiasts, kayakers, windsurfers, campers, hikers,
dog walkers, bird watchers, swimmers, waders, families, clam diggers, surfers, and thousands
of spectators for the world famous Mavericks big wave surf break.

Pillar Point Harbor water quality chronically is so poor that the State Water Resources
Control Board recently listed the location as impaired by coliform bacteria on the 303(d) list
submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Capistrano Beach has
elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria, such as E. coli and Enterococcus on over 95% of
sampling events in wet and dry conditions. This beach has been ranked for several years by
the Heal the Bay's Report Card as a “Beach Bummer,” meaning that it is in the top ten most
polluted beaches in California in dry weather conditions. In 2005/2006, Capistrano Beach
ranked sixth on the “Beach Bummer” list. It was the worst ranked beach in Northern
California and is a Clean Beaches Task Force Priority Beach with regard to fecal pollution.
Capistrano Beach is permanently posted by the San Mateo County Environmental Health
Department as a potential health hazard.

In 2005 and 2006, San Mateo County Department of Environmental Health repeatedly posted
beaches in the Harbor as potential health hazards. Capistrano Beach was posted most
frequently, approximately 50 weeks in each year. Marsh Beach was posted over 20 weeks in
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each year, 42% to 51% of sampling events. Mavericks Beach was posted approximately 15
weeks each year, approximately 30% of sampling events. The county terminated sampling
for Capistrano Beach and permanently posted the beach as a potential health hazard in March
of 2006.

Within the local community there are numerous opinions as to the primary sources of fecal
pollution impacting the harbor, including human contamination from leaking sewer lines,
avian contamination from resident and migratory bird populations including large flocks of
gulls and other birds, and lack of flushing in the harbor due to the presence of two breakwalls.
Although much effort has been expended on studying the locations of fecal pollution
impacting the harbor, including water sampling and fecal indicator enumeration studies, data
on identification of primary sources and their relative contributions to the overall magnitude
of the pollution problem are lacking. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive study of all
of the possible sources of pollution in this watershed and how these flows interact in the
confines of the enclosed Pillar Point Harbor bay.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The RCD is a non-regulatory public benefit district to help people protect, conserve, and
restore natural resources through information, education, and technical assistance programs.
For this project, the RCD is responsible for administration, project management, and outreach
as described in the Scope of Work, and is ultimately responsible for the quality of the project
deliverables. This includes hiring consultants for technical expertise in hydrology, geology,
microbial source tracking, and laboratory work.

A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), including a Lead Researcher, guides and

contributes expertise to all aspects of the project. The TAC meets three times per year as a
group, while subgroups and individuals may contribute expertise to the project as needs and
opportunities arise. The Lead Researcher will provide oversight for the design of the research
components of the project. The TAC establishes appropriate methodology to identify the
sources of fecal pollution and recommends strategies for remediation. As such, expertise on
the TAC includes harbor function and infrastructure, wastewater treatment function and
infrastructure, abatement of fecal indicator bacteria, hydrology and geology, microbiology,
public health, microbial source tracking, and water quality (see Attachment B: Technical
Advisory Committee).

SCOPE OF WORK

Task 1: Administer and Manage Project (8/07- 9/10).

Project administration includes creating, coordinating, and convening a Technical Advisory
Committee (TAC); soliciting, contracting with, and coordinating consultants; managing
contracts; working with consultants and the TAC on development of project process and
products, including reports; participating in committees and public meetings; and reporting
and administering the grant.

Responsible Party: RCD

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Task 2: Assess and Analyze Existing Data Relevant to Potential Sources of Fecal
Contamination Impacting Pillar Point Harbor (10/07- 4/08).
Perform a full search for all existing data, review and analyze with respect to the following:

2.1 hydrology of contributing watersheds, marsh, and harbor

2.2 geologic setting
2.3 natural and human-made conditions
2.4 sedimentation and beach sand shifting
2.5 sewer and other sewerage inflow and infiltration studies
2.6 existing microbial source tracking data
2.7 enumeration data for fecal indicators with regard to tidal and flow conditions,
temporal issues, weather, rain events, seasons, first flush events, etc.
2.8 watershed sanitary surveys and similar analyses and related watershed data
2.9 residency time for harbor water circulation

Responsible Parties: RCD, Balance Hydrologics, Lead Researcher

Task 3: Investigate Sources of Fecal Contamination Impacting Pillar Point Harbor (11/07-
2/10).

3.1 Investigate sources of fecal contamination known to impact Capistrano Beach.

3.1.1. Perform microbial source tracking to identify and estimate relative
contributions of fecal pollution arising from human, avian, dog, horse, cattle
and other host sources.
3.1.2. Track pollutants to their sources by scoping storm drains and sewer lines and
conducting hydrologic studies and sanitary surveys with enumeration.
3.1.3. Investigate role of sediment as a potential source of elevated levels of fecal
indicators, including sampling Denniston Creek and the Pillar Point Marsh
during storms.

Responsible Parties: RCD, Balance Hydrologics, Lead Researcher, San Mateo County
Public Health Lab

3.2 Investigate potential sources of fecal contamination to remaining beaches in Pillar

Point Harbor: Mavericks, Marsh, Yacht Club, Beach House, Inner Harbor, and Pillar
Point Marsh beaches.
3.2.1. Sample beaches, lagoons, creeks, monitoring wells, bluff seeps, and storm
drains, and assess by fecal indicator enumeration of E. coli and Enterococcus
and by watershed sanitary surveys.
3.2.2. For sites which are identified as major sources of fecal pollution, perform
microbial source tracking to identify and estimate relative contributions of
fecal pollution arising from human, avian, dog, horse, cattle and other host
sources.

Responsible Parties: RCD, Lead Researcher, San Mateo County Public Health Lab

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 3.3 Investigate other factors which may impact fecal contamination in Pillar Point Harbor
with respect to the following and perform microbial source tracking as required:
3.2.3. hydrologic parameters, including currents, flow, salinity, and residency time
3.2.4. impact of birds, domestic animals, recreational vehicles, leach fields, and boats
3.2.5. sewer line integrity
3.2.6. inflow sources, including the marsh, runoff, outflow from Denniston Creek and
Deer Creek, storm drains and storm sewers

Responsible Parties: RCD, Balance Hydrologics, Lead Researcher, San Mateo County
Public Health Lab

Task 4: Conduct Public Outreach and Community Participation (8/07- 7/10).

Facilitate public outreach and education about the project and coordinate stakeholders by
notifying and encouraging the participation of affected and interested public and private
landowners, utilities, resource agencies, and others as necessary and appropriate, providing
opportunities for public input into the project effort. Outreach activities will include a public
workshop, creation and maintenance of a web page for the project, and enabling/encouraging
any member of the public to ask questions and provide input on the project at regularly
scheduled public meetings of the Resource Conservation District Board of Directors.

Responsible Parties: RCD, Balance Hydrologics, Lead Researcher

Task 5: Develop Implementation Goals and Strategies (3/10- 6/10).

Develop and prioritize specific objectives for implementation of water quality remediation
projects based on the research and analysis. Identify specific constraints, impediments,
opportunities, and priorities to remediate water quality on the beaches in Pillar Point Harbor.
Offer specific cost-effective, feasible water quality improvement projects. Develop
milestones and timeline for implementing the proposed methods to achieve specific water
quality objectives and the parties responsible for meeting these objectives. Draft monitoring
plan and specific performance measures to track implementation of specific projects.

Some opportunities for remediation that can be implemented during the project may be
identified and undertaken, and potentially earlier than March 2010.

Responsible Parties: RCD, Lead Researcher, Balance Hydrologics

SAMPLING PLAN
Numerous types of flows and drainages are to be investigated, including outflows from
Denniston and Deer Creeks, outfall pipes, storm drains, runoff from blacktop and impervious
surfaces, agricultural concerns and commercial operations; flows originating from wave
action and/or wave generated surges broaching harbor walls, water circulation within the
harbor, tidal surges, currents, other issues associated with enclosed beaches, and potential
drainage from sewer lines. Effects of wet and dry weather upon these flows will be analyzed.
Water flows draining into the harbor with well documented elevated levels of fecal indicators
include Capistrano and Bathhouse Outfall Pipes and Denniston Creek, and these flows will be
a primary focus of the project.

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The plan below outlines the proposed approach and is subject to modification as
circumstances arise, such as drought or unexpected findings from enumerated samples.

Frequency
events samples Years
Site Approach per yr per
event
Mavericks 2 events per wet season 2 3 3
Beach 2 events per dry season 2 3 3
2 events per first flush 2 3 3
possible upper watershed survey if spike found 3 8 1
possible dog survey 2 2 1
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Marsh Beach 2 events per wet season 2 3 3
2 events per dry season 2 3 3
2 events per first flush 2 3 3
possible upper watershed survey if spike found 3 8 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Yacht Club 2 events per wet season 2 3 3
Beach 2 events per dry season 2 3 3
2 events per first flush 2 3 3
possible upper watershed survey if spike found 3 8 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Denniston sanitary survey with 3 consecutive sampling events at
Creek 25 sites 3 25 1
20 events at approximately 10 sites selected for
follow-up 20 10 1
biweekly sampling 26 10 2
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
enumeration for MST, 4 events (wet, dry, first-flush,
and other) at 5 sites with 2 samples per site 4 10 1
Capistrano sanitary survey with 3 consecutive sampling events at
Pipe 25 sites 3 25 1

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 20 events at approximately 10 sites selected for
follow-up 20 10 1
biweekly sampling 26 10 2
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
enumeration for MST, 4 events (wet, dry, first-flush,
and other) at 5 sites with 2 samples per site 4 10 1
Capistrano 25 events at 1 site 25 1 1
Beach biweekly sampling 26 7 3
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Bathroom sanitary survey with 3 consecutive sampling events at
Outfall 25 sites 3 25 1
20 events at approximately 10 sites selected for
follow-up 20 10 1
biweekly sampling 26 10 2
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
enumeration for MST, 4 events (wet, dry, first-flush,
and other) at 5 sites with 2 samples per site 4 10 1
Beachhouse 2 events per wet season 2 3 3
Beach 2 events per dry season 2 3 3
2 events per first flush 2 3 3
possible upper watershed survey if spike found 3 8 1
possible dog survey 2 2 1
possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Live-aboard 3 events at 10 sites 3 10 1
Boats possible sediment/wrack survey 2 9 1
possible dog survey 2 5 1
possible avian survey 2 5 1
Contingent MST for any of the above sites as follow-up to
MST elevated bacteria levels as determined from
enumeration studies. Preliminary estimates are for 5
triggers at 6 locations with 2 samples per site.
5 12 1

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 Attachment A:
Map of Project Location

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 Attachment B:
Technical Advisory Committee
Member Expertise
1 Barry Hecht Hydrology and geology of region
Balance Hydrologics
2 Bruce Fujikawa, PhD Public health
Public Health Laboratory
San Mateo County
3 Carmen Fewless Water quality
Regional Water Quality Control Board
4 Chuck Duffy Sanitary District function
Granada Sanitary District
5 Dean Peterson Environmental health
Environmental Health Services
San Mateo County
6 Doug Coffman Public Health laboratory function
Public Health Laboratory Regional knowledge
San Mateo County
8 Jill Murray, PhD Microbial source tracking in Santa Barbara
Creeks Division region
City of Santa Barbara
9 Jim Howard Upland uses, conservation practices, and best
Natural Resources Conservation Service management practices
NRCS programs and conservation standards
10 John F. Foley, III Sewer authority function
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
11 John Oram Near-shore and harbor circulation
San Francisco Estuary Institute
12 Keith Mangold Regional watershed knowledge
13 Lisa Sniderman Knowledge of marina water quality issues
California Coastal Commission Critical Coastal Areas Program
14 Dan Temko Harbor function
San Mateo County Harbor District
15 Sarah Corbin Regional volunteer water quality monitoring
Surfrider San Mateo County Chapter Surfrider laboratory function
16 Stefan Wuertz (lead researcher for project) Microbial source tracking, biofilms, aerobic
Civil and Environmental Engineering wastewater treatment, bacterial and viral
UC Davis pathogens
17 Steve Peters Microbial source tracking at Santa Cruz County
Environmental Health Services beaches
County of Santa Cruz

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 Attachment C:
Performance Measures

Project Goals Desired Outcomes Output Indicators Outcome Indicators Measurement Tools Targets
and Methods
Investigate sources of 1. Assessment and 1. Written report 1. Participation and 1. Attendance of 1. Identification of causes
fecal contamination analysis of existing summarizing input of TAC. participants in TAC of contamination
impacting Pillar Point data. assessment and 2. Ability to develop meetings. sufficient to develop
Harbor in order to 2. Creation of analysis of and prioritize 2. Surface Water strategies to remediate.
develop strategies for Technical Advisory existing data. strategies for Ambient Monitoring
remediation. Committee. 2. Regular remediation of Program
3. Investigation of meetings of fecal 3. Targeted sampling
sources of fecal TAC. contamination. protocol.
contamination. 3. Draft report of 3. Attendance and
sources of fecal local interest in
contamination. public workshop.
4. Public workshop
to share
information.
Develop and prioritize 1. Recommended 1. Regular meetings of 1. Participation and Non-point source 1. Written recommended
strategies to remediate strategies to TAC. input of TAC. pollution management goals and strategies by
fecal contamination in remediate fecal 2. Milestones and 2. Attendance and measures as identified June 2010.
Pillar Point Harbor. contamination. timeline for local interest in in the California Non-
implementing public workshop. Point Source
remediation Encyclopedia and by
activities. the US EPA
3. Identification of
parties who may
implement
recommendations.
4. Draft monitoring
plan and
performance
measures to track
implementation of
projects.
5. Public workshop to
share information.

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